HOUSTON (SportsRadio 610)- Justin Verlander will take the mound when the Astros open their American League Division Series against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday, Dusty Baker announced Saturday morning.
A favorite to win his third American League Cy Young, Verlander finished the regular season 18-4 with a league best 1.75 ERA. He struck out 10 over five hitless innings in his last regular season start against the Philadelphia Phillies on October 11, and allowed just three earned runs over 23 innings after returning from the injured list on September 16.
Verlander made six starts against the Mariners in 2022 and finished 5-1 with a 2.34 ERA. Six of the eleven earned runs he allowed against Seattle came in a start on May 27 at T-Mobile Park, and it was the most runs he allowed in single start all season, but he recovered to allow just three earned runs over his next last starts against the Mariners, covering 29.2 innings.
Baker declined to announce the rest of his rotation for the ALDS, opting to wait until the Astros knew their opponent, who they now know, after the Mariners eliminated the Toronto Blue Jays in come from behind fashion on Saturday evening, but Baker isn't scheduled to talk to reporters again until after the Astros workout on Monday afternoon.
